Card catalogue and index



'N-Mdel`) A J RUDOLPH GARD GATALUGUBAND INDEX.

No. 499,441. Pate-mamma 13., 189s.

TH: Noams PEYERS co. PHOToLITHo.. wAsNlNm'GN. n. r:A

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALEXANDER J. RUDOLPH, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

CARD CATALOGUE. AND INDEX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 499,441, dated June 13,1893.

Application filed January 28, 1893. Serial No. -460126 (N0 mOdel-l Toall whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER J. RU- DOLPH, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing in the city and county of San Francisco, State ofCalifornia, have invented an Improvement in Card Catalogues and Indexes;and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the same. 4

My invention rotates to certain improvements in indexes and les.

It consists of a series of cards, with a means for holding index slipsupon them, a box within which the cards are sustained, a peculiar devicefor supporting the cards in position to be readily examined, and movableindicators whereby the proper position of each card of a series is atonce determined, and any misplacement of any card is detected.

It also consists in certain details of construction which will be morefully explained by reference to the accompanying drawings, in Which-Figure 1 is a perspective view of a drawer containing my slip-holdersfor card catalogues and indexes. Fig. 2 isatransverse section of thedrawer with the slip-holders. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of thesame. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a portion of a slip-holder,showing its construction.

A is the outer box or case of any suitable size, preferably made withbars or ribs projecting a little inwardly at each end to prevent theends of the contained cards from rubbing against the inner ends of thebox.

The cards B consist of long strips ot stencil, card-board or sheet metalof suflicient length to just tit inside of the ribs longitudinallywithin the box, and of a width equal to the depth ofthe box. Upon theoppositelongitudinal edges of these strips are fixed reinforcing stripsC, and over these strips are fastened other strips D which projectinwardly a little way over the first named strips, thus forming groovesor channels between the outer strips and the faces of the cards. The endof each slip-holder is either closed, or made so narrow that theinserted matter cannot fall or be pushed out. Within these channels orgrooves are fitted the index slips which consist of narrow strips withthe index or other matter written, printed, or otherwise marked uponthem, as shown in my patent issued September 27, 1892, No. 483,313. Whena great number of these card slip-holders are placed in the draw-er orbox, they should be arranged alphabetically, numerically or in any otherorder of some desired form, and in order to retain this order andprevent the misplacement of any of these cards, after they have beenremoved, I form the upper edges of them with an enlarged tubular,polygonal or other shaped rib or back as shown at E. F is a clasp whichis made of some elastic material, and fits upon this projecting rib ofeach of thecards, and it may be moved to any desired point from one endto the other, the elasticity and friction being sufcient to hold it atany point desired.

These clasps are arranged diagonally uponv -as it no longer forms a linewith the others.

Whenever new cards are to be introduced, the clasps are simply movedalong, and a line rearranged to include the new card. In order to assistin thisl arrangement and make it accurate, I prefer to mark the backs orsides ot' these cards with regularly spaced transverse lines, in closeproximity with the clasps so that the latter may be readily placed atthe proper point. These holders, when placed in the drawer on theiredges, will take the position of a book partially opened, as shown inthe transverse section Fig. 2. In order to support and hold the cards inthis position I employ supports G which are made of wire bent as shownin Figs. 1, 2 and 3. The ends of these wires fit into holes made forthem in the ribs at the ends of the box, and the bight formed 'bybending the Wire, extends downward toward the bottom of the box, and isset so as to give the cards the proper inclination or angle for easyreference. The bent portion is retained in place by resting upon thebottom of the box. Any change of position to adjust the supports to agreater or less number of cards, is easily made by withdrawing the endsof the main supports from one set of holes and introducing them toanother, they being sufficiently elastic for this purpose. One of thesewires is placed upon each side of the line of cards so that they may beopened against the wires in either direction. The slip-holders or cardsbeing thus placed in the box on their edges, the opposite inclinedplanes formed by the oppositely placed wires keep the cards at anypoint, and standing at any angle so that they may open like a book, andthey are easily removed at any time by grasping them by the enlargedupper edge upon which the clasps are fixed. The drawers in which thesecards are placed are fitted to slide into a case in which a great numberof the drawers are contained, and in order to prevent the drawer beingpulled out and carelessly dropped so as to disarrange its contents, Ihave shown a stop check H which consists of a bar fulcrumed atI upon therear end of the drawer, so that its ends project respectively above andbelow the drawer. The weight of the lower part of the bar beingsufficiently greater than the upper to retain it normally in a Verticalposition, these two projecting ends will strike against the interior ofthe case front and will thus hold the drawer when pulled out to itsfullest extent and will prevent its being entirely withdrawn.

If it is desired to remove the drawer for any purpose it is done byturning the stop H until the ends are within the upper and lower linesof the drawer. This is conveniently effected by means of a rod K whichconnects with the lower end of' the check H, and extends along thebottom of' the drawer. The front end of the rod is held by springs orelastic rubber so that it will normally remain in a straight positionand when it is desired to turn the stop to allow the drawer to beremgved, it is done by pressing the rod to one s1 e.

The slip-holders are arranged, as previously described, and have aseries of catch letters or numbers printed upon them in bold faced type,or written or pasted upon movable slips, to enable the one using thecatalogue to easily turn to the desired name, topic or number, orvarious colors may be used for the saine purpose to aid the eye ininstantly locating the desired entry. If' a slip-holder be not entirelyfilled with slips, those which are contained in it are prevented fromslipping out of place by means of stops K which are made of ltwothicknesses of card, or other suitable material, one thicknessprojecting at each end beyond the other. The shortest one is ofsufficient length to lie between the inner edges of the holding groovesor channels, and the outer one extends into these grooves in the samemanner with the slips, and by reason of its being bent downward over theshorter one, it is sufficiently elastic to remain firmly in any placewhere it is inserted. Therefore, when these slips are inserted below, orat both sides of the entry slips in a holder which is not full, itretains the slips in place, and prevents their dropping ont. Theseslip-holders are preferably made with one column upon each side so thatthe drawers will not be made too deep, and the slips are more readilyconsulted.

The supporting wires G, against which the holders rest upon oppositesides, are placed with reference to the number ot' slip-holders that maybe contained within the drawer. If there are but few, these supports aremoved along the ends so as to stand near together, and as the numberwithin the drawer increases, they are separated and introduced intoother holes by simply springing them out of the holes in which they areplaced, and introducing them into the others, the elasticity of the wireenabling this to be easily done.

Having thus described my invention, what Iclaim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a library catalogue apparatus, aseries of' rigid slip-holdershaving parallel grooves or channels upon their opposite edges,independent flexible slips, the ends of which are held within saidgrooves or channels, said slips having marked upon them the subjectmatter of the work to be indexed, and each being movable along theholder whereby they are capable of rearrangement within the slipholders,a portable tray or drawer in which said slip-holders are arrangedlongitudinally side by side and removable adjustably inclined supports Gagainst which the slipholders rest upon opposite sides, substantially asherein described.

2. In a library catalogue apparatus, a series of rigid slip-holdershaving parallel grooves or channels upon their opposite edgesandindependent flexible slips, the ends of which are adjustably heldwithin said grooves or channels, a portable tray or drawer within whichsaid slip-holders are arranged longitudinally side by side, and movableclasps fixed to the upper edges of the slip-holders and slidablethereon, whereby they may be arranged in diagonal or symmetrical linesupon a trayful of the slip-holders to indicate the proper positions ofthe slip-holders within the tray with reference to each other,substantially as herein described.

3. In a library catalogue apparatus, a series of rigid slip-holdershaving parallel grooves or channels upon their opposite edges,independent flexible slips, the ends of which are adjustably held withinsaid grooves or channels, enlarged or tubular projections extendingalong the upper edges of the slip-holders, clasps fitting saidprojections and slidable thereon wherebya series of' slip-holders withinthe containing tray or drawer may be regularly arranged with relation toeach other, and division marks formed upon the upper IOO edges of saidslip-holders to indicate the positions of the movable clasps,substantially as herein described.

4. In a library catalogue apparatus, aseries of rigid slip-holdershaving parallel grooves or channels upon their opposite edges,independent fiexible slips, the ends of which are held within thegrooves or channels so as to be movable along the holder or capable ofrearrangement' therein, a portable tray or drawer within which a numberof the slip-holders are placed side by side longitudinally, adjustableinclined supports against which the outer slipholders upon each side areadapted to rest so that the slip-holders may be turned over like leavesof a book, enlarged or tubular strips along the upper edges of theslip-holders with transverse lines or markings made thereon, and claspsfitting the upper edges and slid able along them so as to be vadj ustedwith relation to each other to form diagonal linesl across theslip-holders in any one drawer, whereby the proper positions of theslip-holders with relation to each other is indicated, and readjustmentsare made for the introduction of new slip-holders, substantially asherein described.

5. ,In a library catalogue apparatus, a series of rigid slip-holdershaving parallel grooves or channels upon their opposite edges andindependent fleXible slips, the ends of which are held within saidgrooves or channels, said slips being movable and capable of readjustment within the slip-holders, drawers within which said slip-holdersare arranged longitudinally side by side and parallel with each other,projecting strips formed across the ends of the drawers to hold the endsof the slips out of contact with the drawer ends, and a stop check ttedto the inner end ofthe drawer whereby the'latter is prevented from beingpulled entirely'out of the case, substantially as herein described.

6. In a library catalogue apparatus, a series l Vof slip-holders,drawers fitted to a case and adapted to contain said slip-holders inlongitudinal parallel lines with supports against which they may beopened, a stop check for each drawer consisting of a vertical swingingbar fulcrumed to the rear end of the drawer, with its ends projectingabove and below, and a spring actuated wire connecting with the lowerend extending along the bottom of the drawer whereby the check may beturned so as to allow the drawer to be withdrawn from the case,substantially as herein described.

I 7. In a library catalogue apparatus,a series of rigid slip-holdershaving parallel grooves or channels upon their opposite edges,independent flexible slips, the ends of which are held in said groovesor channels, said slips being movable and capable of readjustment withinthe slip-holders, and adjustable stop checks, and catch letterscorrespondingly adj ustable within the slip-holders, substantially asherein described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

ALEXANDER J. RUDOLPH.

` Witnesses: S. H. NoURsE, J. A. BAYLESS.

